Deeper
by AnneLea
Summary: A longer than expected war paved the way for Yamato and Sakura to have at least one night together. This fic does contain sexual terms and situations. Don't read if you don't like lemons.
1. Yanking Out My

AN: Rated for possible future content. I want to go deeper into this, but may leave it as a oneshot. If it remains one chapter for too long, I'll change the warnings/rating. Possibly going to turn out to be a Kakashi/Sakura fic, thus the warning of main character death. This story is not beta-read, so if you find problems, let me know. If I do get more adult than this, you'll see it under the pen name AdrianneLea on AFF. Thanks for reading!

The last of the Rookie Nine had made it to jonin today, along with other chunin from the other four major countries. Even Naruto was promoted today. Officially at least. They had all received field promotions during the war. Tomorrow they would be inaugurating the new Hokage, too. All in all, the chance to celebrate was taken up by everyone physically capable. Even the hospital bound were celebrating with each other, a few of them even managed to smuggle in some alcohol.

Some were happier than others. Some had lost important, precious people in their lives, and this was still a time of mourning for them. Though it had been three years since the start of the Fourth Shinobi War, they had fought two more with no stop in-between to rebuild or regroup. When Tobi's army was being finished off, another army invaded. This one they had no experience with in the past. This one used weapons they called "guns." It took a long time (nearly two years) to fight them back to where they were first encountered.

Now that their world had been destroyed twice over in such a short time, and leadership had changed in four of the five nations due to deaths, the five nations were stronger allies than ever before, and they had to learn to make an alliance that would continue through peace-time. They also had to simultaneously rebuild their homes and rebuild their armies.

Today, though, was supposed to be a day for celebrating all the promotions of all the five nations' combatants in the back-to-back wars.

On the outskirts of the main camp, Haruno Sakura watched one of her team-mates tend to a sore leg. It was still purple in places below the knee where an unfortunate fall had broken it days before. She had heard about the break, but wondered why it hadn't been tended to yet. There were many capable medics around that should have helped him in her absence. With a huff, Sakura made her way over to his tent.

"How long have you been fighting off the medics?" she demanded, kneeling down beside him to simultaneously swat his hands away and start mending his leg.

His lips smiled, almost hiding the pain in his almond-shaped, dark eyes. "I guess I'm more like Kakashi these days."

"What does that mean?" she asked, concentrating on knitting the ligaments back into place.

"There's only one medic that I will ever allow to heal me," he admitted. "You're the most gentle."

"I'm only gentle with the two of you because you're babies, Yamato-taichou," she retorted. "Worse than Naruto and Konohamaru."

"I think you just don't like it when people latch onto you," he countered. "Kakashi and I don't trust people much, but you're one of the few we like."

"I don't see why you would like me above someone like Shizune," she replied.

"You're more gentle. Didn't I say that already?"

"Hinata is gentle."

"But not as skilled."

"Will you shut up already? Getting your muscles and tendons together is a simultaneous project. It's not easy!"

"Yes ma'am." Yamato smiled. "Anything my nurse commands."

"Shut it."

"For how long?"

"Until I say you can speak again."

"When will that be?"

"At the rate you're going, never."

"But what if I have to warn you about something, and there's no time to write it down?"

"Yamato-taichou..."

"Yes, Sakura-chan?"

"You're being annoying."

"Am I?"

"Be quiet and let me concentrate." she ordered again.

"But I don't think-"

He was cut off as she gripped his throat with one hand, disabling his vocal cords with one touch.

"I told you to shut it," she reminded. "I'll let you talk when I'm ready."

She tried to work quickly, knowing that the numbing she caused in his throat would only last a couple minutes at best, but he insisted on being a pest anyway. Multiple times he tapped her on the shoulder and mouthed questions or used exaggerated hand signs to try and communicate more pestering.

"Do you want me to fuck up your leg forever?" she asked, exasperated.

_No_, he mouthed. _I let you work now._

"Stay still."

He wished he could give her another "yes, ma'am" to bother her. Being called ma'am by people older than her was an embarrassment all on its own. She didn't believe she deserved the respect of that title, let alone the title of sensei many people gave her since she took over the medical teams of the entire combined forces. For key battles she had been taken along to the front lines any time a diplomat or visiting commander went. Multiple times this also meant she ended up fighting her way to and from the fighting to retrieve wounded with the rest of the front-line medics.

Yet, there were still some she allowed to call her Sakura-chan. She preferred anyone else call her -san or -sensei, but her team and Rookie Nine (eight now) were only to call her Sakura or Sakura-chan. If any of them dared call her -san or -sensei, she'd pummel them nearly as hard as she once pummeled Naruto on a daily basis.

Once all internal pieces were mended, she worked on the cosmetics of the bruising. Sure, to people like them it really was just cosmetics, but she knew the amount of relief the removal of simple bruising could be when it came to sleeping on the ground. This man had a hard enough time sleeping due to nightmares and duties alike. He didn't need the excess discomfort of bruising to keep him awake at night.

When that was done she ended up just massaging his calf aimlessly, not realizing he had been silent for far longer than she had anticipated. Looking back at his face, she saw that his eyes were transfixed on her hands, his own wrapped around his bent left leg as he watched hers glide over his long, thin muscle in selfless comfort. She stilled her hands and watched as his eyes traveled up her arms to her elbows, across her thighs to the round of her rear and up her side to her shoulder. He was taking in every aspect of her that he could. Her throat, her jaw line, lips, nose, eyes, hair... then back to her eyes when he realized he'd been caught.

A light blush touched his cheeks and nose as he smiled and looked away again. "Sorry."

"Don't be," she answered, a small smirk of her own playing at the corners of her mouth. "You're not the only one suffering from the fact that we're surrounded by gorgeous bodies and not knowing whom is safe to touch and whom will kill you in your sleep. It's been a long time for a lot of people, and we're all loosing the fight not to fuck our friends just to get off with something other than our own hands."

He'd never imagined to hear it put so bluntly before, especially out of her mouth. She was right. She was legal, too. The only question was, should the end up on the same team again in the future, how would tonight's actions affect them? Would she be willing? Was she contemplating asking him? Would he be able to keep it as a friendly fuck, or would he ask her for more? Would she ask for more? What if she didn't want it? What if she did, but he told her no for the sake of their current relationship and future possible relationship?

The little rises he got out of pestering her when she worked to heal his leg were more than amusement for Yamato. They were his own form of fore-play, testing just how far he could push her, how much adrenaline he could build up in her system before laying a hand on hers, before disappearing into his tent to listen to her voice change from annoyed to something more...desirable. But, of course, he knew her annoyed tone to be similar to the one she used when sexually charged, too. He heard her during her first time over a year ago.

A casual relationship with a kunoichi from Mist had landed him in the top of a tree with the woman on his lap. Before they could get all that far into things, however, another pair had settled not far away. Turned off by the younger pair making far too much noise, the kunoichi left without him. She died the next day in battle.

Yamato had stayed, though. He was curious whose ass he'd be beating the next day for ruining his night. When he snuck into a near-by branch, he became transfixed, watching and listening quietly from the shadows as Haruno Sakura lost her virginity to none-other than the Kaze Kage, Gaara. It appeared that Gaara wasn't any more knowledgeable on a woman's body than Sakura was about how to please a man. It was funny, to tell the truth, watching the two fumble around, becoming frustrated more and more with one another, and then having a pitiful release each. If either of them had been more experienced, they both could have reached a much better climax.

So, despite the fact that he was still turned on all to hell and had only his hand for company due to those two, he let them be, never once telling a soul about the experience. He knew all three of them were better off if he did so.

Now, though... He just wanted to see if she'd learned anything since then. If she hadn't, he wanted to teach her. He wanted to hear those frustrated grunts and comments directed toward him as he slowly built her up to a hard, long release. He wanted to wear her smaller body down to the point where she had no choice but to fall asleep in his arms until dawn a day later.

"You sure are trying hard not to incriminate yourself, taichou," Sakura spoke, bringing him back to the here and now. "It's just that one particular appendage is telling a story your glassy eyes aren't willing to say right now."

"Hmm?" he mumbled, not quite registering what she was saying so much as imagining her petite mouth wrapping around his cock.

Sakura simply pointed between his thighs. He wasn't hard yet, but the process had started. His member was getting heavier, thicker, farther down his thigh in anticipation.

"Damn it," he cursed, taking his right leg out of her lap to hold it closer to his body, trying to hide his groin. Except that his balls were puffy, too, and he was only wearing thin, night shorts at the moment. Her laughter would help him calm down, except she wasn't laughing. Her smile was a sly one as she shook her head.

"You can either leave me alone or help me," he muttered after a moment. "It's not my fault you're gentle and it feels good to have a woman's hands on me for a change."

"Even if it's only your leg?" she teased. showing just a little bit of nervousness.

He stared hard at her. No way was he going to tell her yet that having his calves massaged was actually a turn-on for him. It was the one part of his body that rarely ended up injured during a fight, and thus only his occasional girlfriend ever touched them. The relaxation of having those muscles rubbed had become associated with women he was sexually attracted to, and thus to sex itself. It didn't help much that he was also thinking of her in that way before she touched him tonight.

"If you don't leave in five seconds, I'll take it as consent to haul you to the other side of the mountain," he warned.

"What's on the other side of the mountain?" she asked, honestly having never thought about it before.

"Four..."

"I can go on my own and find out," she thought out loud.

"Three..."

"I know the stream wraps around it," she said, standing up and dusting her bottom off.

"Two..."

"Wonder if there's a small pond or lake there, or if it's higher up," she continued wondering out loud, but still not going anywhere.

"One..."

"You can't be serious about that threat, taichou!" her voice turned to a high pitched squeal at the end as he used his newly mended leg to trip her.

His hands flew through seals nearly as fast at Kakashi's as he wrapped his legs around her waist. The next thing she knew, everything was dark, and cramped. The air was pushed out of her lungs hard, and everything smelled like wet dirt. A moment later she found herself gasping for air on a thick tree branch. None of the noise of the camps could be heard any longer.

He had taken her to the other side of the mountain, as warned, since she hadn't gone when he said.

Yamato, watched from a branch above as she sputtered for a few seconds before straightening her clothing. Though he himself felt no discomfort traveling through the earth, trees, or even water, those he took along weren't usually so fortunate. She was the first non-prisoner he'd transported that way in months, and having the luxury of seeing down her shirt while she looked around like a bewildered cat was definitely another plus.

He hadn't seen much of her these past three years (outside of a hospital tent, anyway), and the transformation in her body was clear. When they first met, she was only just beginning to broaden in the hips and her breasts were barely worth binding down. Tonight he saw that she had lost most of her childish body. Her hips were broad, her breasts large for a kunoichi, though average for a civilian. She was otherwise all muscle and sinew. Her eyes came up to his nose when they stood side-by side, and he swore her leg muscles were larger than his. She had the potential to be more of a powerhouse taijutsu fighter now as opposed to his method of speed. There were no scars that he could see, her abilities and training making that possible for every wound she received and healed for others.

Sakura had grown into a lovely young woman on the outside. Her slightly deeper voice matched, as did her somewhat re-grown hair. It now fell just below her collar, some curls that hadn't been there when she was a child made their presence known at the ends. He knew they would be silky to run his fingers through just by looking at them in the half moon-light.

"So, I guess there is a lake on this side, after all," she answered her own earlier question, looking straight up at him with a small smile. "It's pretty with the water lilies."

"You can look at it later," he said, pushing himself off the branch and pulling her with him to the pine-needle covered ground, being sure to land atop her. Most of his weight was supported by his elbows to either side of her breasts, the rest lay on her pelvis, pressing his slightly fuller erection into her thigh. He only had a second to stare at her before she made her own move.

Using her legs, to push up and roll them over, she ground into him hard, trapping his hands to his sides in the process. He thought she was pissed off and about to leave, but, before he could speak, her lips crashed onto his, kissing hard and forcing her tongue behind his teeth. He had never been dominated like this before, and he felt his cock twitch in response, pulsing into her core a couple of times as it grew fully hard between them. The sensation made him gasp into her mouth as she let out a low moan into his.

She let go of his arms to run her fingers through his curly, chocolate hair. He encircled her waist with his arms and held her tighter against him, gently bucking his hips into hers, slowly grinding their sexes against one another to the pace she set with her mouth on his. One of her hands reached down between them to caress his ball sack a couple times, bringing a low growl from his throat before he flipped them over once more. He loved the feel of her fingers on his balls, but he was so starved of such attentions that one more caress would bring him over the edge. Before that happened, he wanted to be sure she made it all the way to her own peak.

Nipping lightly at her throat and collar bone, Yamato brought his own hand between them, but not as low, not yet. He focused on unbuckling her belt and pealing away her pink wrap skirt, occasionally running a finger down her shorts through the dark curls of the v between her hips. This brought more moans and tightened fingers in his shirt and hair. Satisfied that it wouldn't take long to remove her shorts, he moved up to her shirt. Pulling down the zipper he noted she wasn't bothering with bindings today. The shirt was tight enough, and worn just the right amount to hold her breasts in place without being too tight to breathe comfortably in a fight. Now he knew why she'd kept the same outfit for so long. It was cool and functional, but the only relevant thing at the moment were her breasts as they spilled out to the sides before his eyes.

Yamato kissed his way down to one hardened, pale nipple, warming it with his mouth, only to pinch it between his teeth and suck cool air over it again. Her back arched high, lifting them both several inches off the ground as he did this, her nails digging into his back through the thin cloth of his night shirt. It stung, but he tolerated it because it meant she liked what he was doing. Why else would she be repeatedly whispering "Yamato" into the air?

Eager to feel her silky skin against his chest, he lifted up just long enough to pull off his shirt, and Sakura took the offered second to finish removing her own shirt and skirt as well as hook her thumbs into his shorts and slide them down a little. He helped her with the task once she got them to his knees by pulling them off the rest of the way while she did the same with her own shorts, and they paused a second to take in the sight of one another.

"Oh..." was her main response when focusing beyond the hard lines of defined muscle on his arms, chest, and long stomach. "Uh...wow."

He worried then. She certainly wasn't laughing. Her eyes were wide, and her jaw slack, but her fingers reached out to graze the underside of his dick, tip to base before wrapping her hand around his shaft and giving a gentle tug back to the tip... all nine inches of his thick length straining in her hand. Despite the litheness of the rest of his body, that one part of him managed to be a bit of a problem. A couple of the women he'd bedded in the past had gotten hurt when he forgot they couldn't take all of him inside their bodies. Would he have to hold back for her, too?

"Start slow, if you can," she said, "You're a lot bigger than I thought."

"I'll start with this, actually," he replied, working out a way to help things along as he pushed her back against the pine needle covered ground. He used that hand to continue massaging her breast and side as his other hand caressed the dark curls between her thighs with a featherlight touch.

At first, she seemed to loose some of her high and start to bore with the situation, but he steadily pressed his fingers harder against her lips, pausing only to spread her legs slightly, just enough to slip a finger into her slit and tease her moist flesh with a fingernail. Her breathing hitched and her back arched again. Once more he backed off for a few strokes, once more to dip in again, a little harder, a little deeper. The time between mini-penetrations shortened with each one, until he stopped to find a new spot. He circled her clitoris a few times, leaning in to kiss between her dark curls and her navel a few times, slowly sliding his body up along her own.

He didn't slide up all the way, though. Instead, he widened her legs just a bit more, placing the tip of his length to her opening, slowly pushing just the head inside her body, still circling her clitoris with his thumb. If their breathing was quick and labored before, this new sensation caused the deepest, harshest yet. The sensation of their sexes meeting, flesh to flesh, was tingling warmth that turned hot as burning coals quickly. Her inner lips quivered around him, and he almost lost it again, choosing instead to lean forward and take a breast in his mouth as he had earlier and repeat the warming, then cool sucking exorcise he'd done earlier, only this time in conjunction with a roll of his thumb and a thrust of his hips. His length was half way in her before she realized.

Moving his non-supporting hand to her hip, he nibbled at the undersides of her breasts for a moment, letting her hips buck up against him, pulling him in a few more inches until his tip pressed hard against her cervix, deep inside. She was two inches too shallow for him to get everything he wanted, he noted, moving his lips and teeth back to her neck. Once again he began sucking and nipping there, and this time she returned the favor as they slowly moved their lower halves against one another, pushing a little harder, a little quicker each time. He wanted to have her all the way around him, to feel his balls slap against her hard, round ass with each thrust. He nipped a little harder, squeezed a breast roughly, with each deepening, stretching thrust in order to overload her senses. The tactic worked, and he knew because she did nothing but hold on tighter, arch her back up with every push, and her channel got slicker.

His balls were tightening up on him. There was absolutely no escaping it now, he was going to climax very soon, and it sounded like she wasn't far off, either. She moaned and gasped along with him with each movement, inner walls tightening hard around his pulsing length. As they both got a little louder, he decided to kiss her again, swallowing any sounds that might escape the bowl shaped valley they were in and make it back to the camp. He didn't anticipate the kiss being the thing that would drive them both over the edge, him only slightly before her. His balls clenched hard, spraying his seed into her deepest recesses, triggering her to clamp down harder than ever, flooding his thighs with her climax.

He laid down, head in the crook of her neck as his member slowly returned to normal size, breathing hard and unable to hear anything other than both their heartbeats. The scent of pine, her musky perfume, and sex hung in the still, warm night air around them like a blanket as they regained their strength. As the fog of lust started to clear from his head, he felt the most peculiar thing. She was kissing his cheek, forehead, shoulder, anything she could get her lips to that weren't his hair and didn't require movement of their lower halves. Her right fingers trailed a line along his shoulder and down his side to his hip and back up again.

"Hi," he smiled up at her. "You good?"

She smiled at him warmly, "I'd be better if I weren't so tired from earlier."

"Why?" he asked, not understanding.

"Because I want more of you like that," she purred.

His chest swelled with happiness, "We should get our clothes back on and get back to camp before they notice we're missing. There'll be time for more of this when we both have the energy."

"You promise?"

"Promise," he whispered against her neck kissing her just below her ear. "Let's go.


	2. Hold Me Tonight

Even on the way back home, training sessions broke out at every stop along the way. Team Kakashi was no exception, even if Kakashi wasn't included. Their official team captain joined in when he could, but the duties of becoming Hokage kept him tied up most of the time. Today, though, he managed to join them seconds after they'd started warming up and stretching out. To keep the number of participants even, he brought along a friend.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto jumped up and raced to hug his former teacher. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to spar with you," Iruka smiled, returning the hug. "That is, if you're capable of taking it easy on your old sensei."

"Maa... Yamato-taichou only just got his leg fixed a few days ago," Naruto told him. "He's having to take it easy, so we all are."

Iruka looked at Yamato, questioning, "Why did you wait so long?"

"Because he's a cry-baby," Sakura spoke up, "just like all my boys. I fixed his leg two days ago, and he's still babying it."

Yamato looked positively hurt. To them it was due to Iruka's laughing. In reality, it was due to how she'd referred to him as one of the boys. He didn't want to just start shouting out that they were together now or anything, but he'd hoped she would treat him at least a little differently among team mates. So far she had actually stayed back from him a bit more than usual, choosing Sai as a warm-up partner instead, standing no closer than arm's length at any time. It was like she didn't want anyone to even suspect, or maybe she didn't want to make good on her comment two nights ago about wanting him again.

The sparring session started out the exact same way. She chose to spar with Iruka, then Kakashi. She squared off against Sai and Naruto at the same time while he and Iruka attempted to take Kakashi down. The whole time, he kept glancing her way. When they switched again, she ended up pinned underneath Kakashi for a moment. She was smiling at the older man. She wouldn't smile at him, but she'd smile at Kakashi. She wouldn't let him near her, but she'd let Kakashi pin her down in an almost sexual position, and she'd knock him off by thrusting her hips into his.

Yamato's blood boiled at that point. Even though Kakashi wasn't at fault for the way Sakura was acting, Yamato grabbed him by the shoulder and practically threw him to the ground, then advanced on Sakura herself. Her face was blank, and she stood still, waiting for him. Her eyes shifted only a little, looking behind him at a stunned Kakashi. Everyone else's eyes were on the three of them now, too.

"What are you doing?" she asked once he got within arm's reach again.

He advanced all the way, quickly channeling chakra to grow a medium sized tree behind her, only to shove her against it, one hand on her throat, the other on her breast, and his lips assaulting her hard. He wanted everyone to see, right now, right here, that she was his. No one should touch her the way he had, not until she said she no longer wanted him. The last word he'd had from her was that she wanted him. Inside of her. More. She'd asked him to promise. He had.

Pulling his head back just enough to focus on her eyes, he demanded, "Stop acting like this. Are you fucking him, too?"

Her face grew hot with anger. She punched him, screeching, "How dare you accuse me of sleeping with Kaka-sensei!"

Yamato landed a few feet away, curled around his chest where she'd struck him. In one way, he was happy. She wouldn't be so violent if it were true. In another, he was angry. She'd hit him very hard. Even though it was only a small fraction of her potential strength, she'd cracked his sternum. It hurt like hell.

"Oh hell," she huffed, realizing her mistake and jumping over to roll him on his back. "You idiot. I didn't want them to know about us yet."

"Then why," he gasped, the pain still nowhere near gone even as she worked on fixing the damage, "did you... touch him like that?"

"It works," she shrugged. "Basic jujutsu maneuver. I know you don't know much about it, but it's required training for kunoichi."

Of course. Now that he thought about it, despite her growth, Sakura was physically the smallest one of them simply because she was an average sized young woman. Because of that, she was more likely to be pinned down in a hand-to-hand fight, not to mention she was primarily a close range fighter. Kunoichi were also the ones usually sent on certain... delicate missions that could get them into those positions quickly. If trouble arose, he wasn't sure he would be able to throw off a bigger, heavier opponent in that position. Sakura had done it and made it look almost effortless... The smile on her face was a smirk, not a ploy.

"Kaka-sensei has been my jujutsu sparring partner many times," Sakura continued to explain. "When Anko-sensei taught us in school, she used him as an example a few times. That's why I was comfortable with him for practice."

"Oh..." Yamato sat up, feeling really stupid. "You know. It's not like they didn't already know something was up. You've been ignoring me... pointedly."

"I think," Sai said, approaching them, "you have some explaining to do, Yamato-taichou."

He was pointing over his shoulder, and, when they looked, Yamato and Sakura saw a red-faced Naruto being held back by Kakashi and Iruka. Kakashi seemed to be getting some of the dirty looks from Naruto, too, and not less than two from Iruka. All three were arguing over who had the right to put their hands on Sakura.

"Shut up!" Sakura yelled at them, marching back over to the other guys as Yamato and Sai watched her fists ball up again. No way were they getting in the middle of that. "Kakashi and I are not and never were sleeping together!"

"But you are sleeping with Yamato-taichou!" Naruto shot back at her. "How dare he take your honor!"

Her honor? Seriously?

Wait... He didn't know about Gaara?

She rolled her eyes and backhanded him. Kakashi and Iruka held him up.

"My honor has nothing to do with my virginity, baka!" She spat at him. "We're not a team in the technical sense any longer! After everything that's happened, you're going to tell me you still think I can't possibly be with someone other than you?"

"I love you," Naruto's eyes fell to the ground before him, all the fight drained away with his emotions. "I've told you all the time."

Not in the mood to have this conversation again, this very one she'd had with him many many times over the years, Sakura admitted, "So did Gaara for a while. When he realized I didn't want to move to Suna with him he ended the relationship... but the break-up sex was fantastic!"

"You had sex with Gaara, too?" the passion came back to Naruto's whole being again.

"He asked you to live with him?" Iruka asked, taking the words out of Kakashi's mouth.

"Yes," she replied, "and yes! But I couldn't just up an leave all of you! I love you, Naruto, more than I wanted Gaara, but I don't want to be with someone who would drive me up a wall with insanity every single day!"

Iruka and Kakashi let Naruto go when Sakura showed no sign of advancing on him again.

"I think I should leave this conversation," Iruka said softly. "You had better come along, too, Sai-san."

Sai looked at the group before him. Though he had gleaned a lot of information in the last few moments that could be useful in later interactions, he had learned when he wasn't wanted any longer. He would have to see more later. As the two walked away, the remaining four faced one another cautiously.

"Sakura-chan," Kakashi spoke first, "you know he is a ANBU captain... that Yamato isn't even his real name... He isn't allowed to reveal his life to you beyond what you experience together, no matter how much you promise to keep his secrets."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "It's obvious he prefers this life to who he was before... We've all heard him say it... and that doesn't stop him from telling me what food he likes, his favorite colors, hobbies, and things like that that actually count!"

"She already knows some about Orochimaru's involvement in my life," Yamato spoke up. "Other than my family and missions prior to our meeting, there really isn't anything she doesn't know about who I am now, senpai. If I call myself Yamato for the rest of my life, what does the past matter?"

"It matters to me if you're good enough for Sakura-chan!" Naruto groused.

Kakashi patted him on the shoulder, "Naruto, if the Kazekage wasn't enough for her, but this man is, can you really think she's made a bad choice?"

"Sasuke-teme was a bad choice."

"One I, thankfully, never had the opportunity to make," Sakura reminded.

"All I can say as of now," Kakashi walked up a little closer, "is be careful who knows about this. Iruka will keep his mouth shut. Not many people pay Sai any attention. We all have to promise on our own heads to keep this quiet."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him, then turned to Yamato, "Is your position really that key to something that big? I know Kaka-sensei made you head of ANBU, but..."

"There are people I was associated with when I was younger, as well as my being captured in the war against Uchiha Obito and Madara..." Yamato picked his words carefully. "The council doesn't like my high ranking position considering those factors despite the circumstances and Kakashi-senpai's trust. If I am seen building any kind of life outside of being one of their sharpest tools... you could get hurt, Sakura... There's a reason I took you to the other side of the mountain the other night."

"See, Sakura-chan!" Naruto poked her shoulder a bit cautiously. "Nobody will be upset if you went out with me instead!"

She smacked his hand away. "Go talk with Hinata-chan some more, idiot. She's in-love with you and even said as much more than once right in front of you. She'd take better care of you than anyone else ever could..."

The small city they came upon three weeks later was a tourist town already nearly packed with visitors for the summer season. That meant most of the army would move to the other side of the city to set up camp while the higher ranks would share the remaining rooms on that side of the city, leaving the other side open to the number of tourists still pouring in. The army would be there for a few days in order to re-supply enough for everyone and give everyone enough time to enjoy themselves at the many tourist traps. Also, it would prove a good time for the new Hokage, new Head of ANBU, new Chief of Medical Staff, new head tactician, new head of intelligence and a couple new council members to get more settled with one another's coming roles once they returned home to take-over normal operations again.

Normal, that is, except for the fact that they weren't going to be dealing with skirmishes with the four other Great Nations any longer. They now only had to worry about the remaining and numerous smaller nations that might try to take advantage of their somewhat weakened states. New policies had to be put into order before they even made it back to Konoha. Shinobi had to adapt first, and the civilian population would catch up soon after.

"So..." Ino slid up beside her as their group scouted rooms within the city to pay for and assign later, "You and I should see about 'accidentally' ending up in the same room as Sasuke-kun. What do you think?"

"Not interested," Sakura smiled at her. "I'd rather bunk with my team mates."

Ino looked confused, "But, Sasuke-kun is one of your team mates."

"Not for the last six years he hasn't been," Sakura answered, tone lowering. "He may be willing to protect my back in battle, but that doesn't make him someone I actually trust. I'd rather get stuck with Sai, Kiba, and Ebisu-san in the same room than share one with him."

"You know he's been checking us both out this whole trip home," Ino tried convincing her again. "He wants a girlfriend that can keep up with him, and he knows we're the only two who could possibly be acceptable marriage material... After all, didn't he say one of his life-long goals was to revive the Uchiha Clan?"

"I'm seeing someone right now," Sakura deadpanned. "Have Sasuke all to yourself if you think he likes you so much."

Ino walked right up in front of her, stopping them in the middle of the street. "Listen, he agreed to a three-way with me, but only if you were the third person. I want him. He wants you. I want you do do this for me so that he can see me as I am... and that you're not interested. I don't give a damn about your lie about being with someone else right now. Naruto does not make a good excuse, and you know it!"

Sakura was appalled. "You call yourself the gossip queen? You don't even know I'm with someone, think I want Sasuke-teme, but call yourself my best friend? The fuck is wrong with you?"

"It wouldn't be so hard to know what's going on with you if you would talk to me!" Ino screeched, matching Sakura's volume. "I thought you and Sasuke were already together! He follows your every step these days."

"I know!" Sakura turned around and started walking away at a brisk pace. She knew she was being watched every day by Sasuke. He even tried talking with her on occasion. The night she had healed Yamato's leg, he was waiting for her at her tent. He had grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into a hard kiss. She had shoved him away, and he actually looked hurt. Since then he had resumed following her everywhere except to training. She had threatened to tell the rest of the guys about his advances if he touched her again.

Her thoughts kept spiraling down that same path even as Ino caught up and tried making her apologies. How would the rest of her boys take the situation if she told them? Naruto would be grateful Sasuke was "trying to make up for the past and be friends again." Sai would probably start stalking her stalker just to be a back-up if Sasuke tried to touch her again. Kakashi would have a few choice words for him, and he'd probably decide to escort her everywhere. Three weeks ago she would have thought Yamato would only give her encouragement on dealing with it herself.

But now? Now that they'd been sleeping together she thought he might get more active. She didn't know how personal he might get, since he didn't seem all that jealous when she talked about previous crushes and boyfriends. But he did take every opportunity to just hold her close, to give her a flower he grew on the spot, to whisper his day's fantasies in her ear.

If he had the opportunity, would he attack Sasuke?

The thought he might if he knew about the kiss.

"Sakura?" Ino asked, cautiously putting a hand on her shoulder. "You look a little green. I didn't upset you that much, did I?"

She promptly puked on the side walk. The action surprised her almost as much as it had Ino. Almost, because she'd had two similar incidents on the way here this past week. They'd had longer days of travel, making the last push towards home. Twice in the last six days she had puked from the heat and exhaustion. She had a constant low level of of nausea at all times since two days before the first episode.

"I'm okay," Sakura answered, using a sleeve to wipe away spit from her face. "I think I've got a stomach bug or something. It's not the first time. Just... don't push me when it comes to Sasuke again, okay? I don't like his attention he's giving me. I think he knows about my boyfriend, but it's obvious he doesn't respect him. He kissed me the day I started seeing someone! He knew I'd just been with someone, and he dared put his hands on me!"

Sakura was holding her stomach again, working herself into another bout of puking.

Ino's eyes narrowed, "Fuck this. I'll see about making it so he doesn't get a room and has to rough it with the rest of the shinobi outside the city. The bastard doesn't deserve either of us."

"Poor Kakashi-sensei."

Sakura turned to the blond beside her, noting that Naruto had barely touched his second bowl of ramen. The city the Fire part of the army was moving through was known more for its steel production than its food, but leave it to Naruto to lead the way to the best ramen they'd had since Konoha's destruction over three years ago. Currently they were sitting on the opposite side of the dining room from the newest Fire Kage and the other political leaders of the nation.

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking back at the arguing leaders.

Naruto sighed, stirring his bowl for the umpteenth time, "They want him to get married. There's never been a Hokage without a child. They don't want him to be the first."

"But... Tsunade-shisho and Danzo didn't have any children," Sakura protested.

"You are incorrect," Hanabi answered from two seats down the table. "Danzo's child was used in Orochimaru's experiments with Harashima-sama's DNA. Tsunade-sama's son was born when she was quite young, and he was adopted by the Namikaze clan."

Sakura and Naruto stared at her, eyes wide, and jaws dropped.

"My father had many talks with Danzo about many things when they did not know I was near," she explained. "I learned a lot about how he was tired of the same family being in charge of Konoha for so long. Even Kakashi-sama is related to the Senju clan through his mother, Sarutobi Asuma's first cousin's mother."

"Then how can Naruto ever hope to become Hokage now?" Kiba asked, leaned back in his spot between Naruto and Hanabi. "I mean, even the Fourth was a Senju by birth!"

Naruto smirked, smacking him on the shoulder, "He's my dad, remember? Idiot..."

"Uh, Naruto..." Sakura turned back to him, "Did you know Tsunade-shisho was your Obaa-san for real?"

"Not at first, nah," he shook his head. "Last year Shizune-san told me about my dad being baa-chan's kid."

"They're getting loud again," Hinata whispered from Sakura's side, pointing back at the table across the dining room. "Who's Shimura Kato?"

"Don't know," Kiba replied, leaning forward again. "Why?"

"Danzo said the name once," Hanabi answered again. "He showed a little emotion when he did. Sadness, I believe."

"Then we know he's somebody Danzo cared about, probably a dead family member based on the name," Sakura said. "Why would they be talking with Kakashi about him?"

The voices rose loud enough for everyone to hear when Kakashi stood up from the table, "I will not allow Kato to be brought up on the charges of his father just so that you can coax her to marry me!"

The young jonin watching the man all shared a look. Who was the woman they wanted Kakashi to mary? If they could spot her, they could figure out who Shimura Kato was... now that they also knew he was Danzo's son.

"Where do you think you're going?" one of the council members demanded, standing as well. "We will put him out of the way, Hatake-sama. She will be your wife!"

Kakashi refused to even look at the older man as he walked out the door, leaving the councilman to pay the bill.

"Better snag yourself a wife before you try to become Hokage again, Naruto," Kiba said after a moment. "You may not like the one they pick for you."

"Not me!" Sakura warned, pointing a slender finger at his nose. "I'm still not interested!"

"Like I'd want someone who beats me up all the time anyway!" Naruto smacked her hand down. "I like a woman who knows just when to step in... someone who'd protect me when I'm down, instead of going on a punching rampage. She'd have to be really strong of heart more than anything, and she'd have to know just how to cheer me up if things get too rough again."

Everyone at the table was sure Hinata was either going to pass out again, or cry and run away. Nobody expected Naruto to just reach across the table and hold her hand right in front of them... and her only just blush a little bit.

"I know a girl like that... I just wonder when her next appearance in front of everybody will be. It takes a lot of courage, I know, but I also know all that courage is building back up inside her heart again."

"I... think we should let the love birds be for a while, guys," Sakura suggested, a gentle smile in her eyes that turned pointed when she saw how Hanabi was looking at them. "Come on. Maybe we can talk to Kakashi-sensei and find out who the woman is."

It took a moment, but Hanabi followed Kiba and Sakura out of the restaurant doors where the three of them decided to split up and look around for their angry Hokage. Kiba took off straight down the road, Akamaru on his heel the moment they stepped out the door. Hanabi scanned the area for any sign of the ANBU guards who were supposed to stick near-by at all times. Sakura, however, knew exactly who was on duty tonight, and at which hotel Kakashi was staying.

Turning to her right, she walked to the next block then turned right again down a small alley between a shoe store and a legal office building.

"Up here," a man's voice spoke off to her left. Sure enough, Kakashi was sitting on the roof of the shoe store, one ANBU guard with him. Pleased that she wouldn't have to go the six extra blocks to the hotel, Sakura walked up the wall and sat down to Kakashi's right, as the ANBU was currently taking up his left.

"How much did you hear?" Kakashi asked, not bothering with any introductions or pleasantries for his subordinates.

"Enough to know they want you to marry somebody you don't like in that way," she answered. "And to catch the name Shimura Kato."

"You know who he is?" Kakashi demanded.

Sakura shook her head. "Hanabi-chan said Danzo-sama knew him. I understand they're probably closely related."

"Yes," Kakashi nodded. "He's also my friend."

"And they want you to marry his girlfriend, I guess," she added.

He sighed a little, "I've never heard either of them use the term boyfriend or girlfriend for one another... but the way they are with each other is different from how it used to be. I've seen him enter her tent once or twice, and now they're sharing a room here in this city. They're definitely together in that way."

"Miserable old Yamamura Kisuke doesn't like Danzo's son being happy, then?"

"Or me," Kakashi nodded. "To him, the girl is a pawn he thinks he can use against us. The council only agrees with him because she and I would create very smart, very powerful children they could use as deadly tools one day. His children would be the same, though. Few people realize he's at least as intelligent and strong as me."

"Do you think she'd let him go without a fight if she got the chance to be with you?"

He shook his head, "She's not shallow like that. Once she likes someone in that way, she stays with them... even if they're a traitor."

Sakura was looking away, so she missed the pointed look he gave her, "Is Shimura-san a traitor like they say?"

"Not at all," he answered. "I'm happy you're with someone trustworthy."

"What?" She caught that comment.

"I'm granting you clearance to know about Yamato, Sakura-chan," Kakashi stated. "He knows he's in danger of imprisonment when we get home because of what happened in the 4th War."

"He was forced!" Sakura jumped back up to her feet. "Everyone knows that he wasn't a willing participant in what he did! He hates it! You know he tried to kill himself when he knew he couldn't escape! If it weren't for Kabuto-"

"I know, Sakura-chan, just sit down," he raised a hand up as if to halt her from running off. "Remember, if it weren't for Kabuto, he wouldn't be alive anyway. I'm trying to defend him politically so that we don't have to get physical with the council assholes. If it comes down to it, I can keep him busy on missions until they forget about him."

"Or, keeping him away might give them more chances to try to marry us off," Sakura shook her head. "If his name is the worst he's had to keep secret these past few years, I won't want to leave him. I think I love him, Kaka-sensei."

"Be sure, Sakura," Kakashi warned. "Be sure. ANBU traitors are executed when found guilty."

...

She still had a six block walk to the hotel. It was six blocks of frustration and anger covering for her fear. The closer she got to the hotel, the faster she moved, to the point of sprinting up the stairs when the elevator moved too slowly. Nausea was building. She was coughing and burping, fighting the urge to puke until reaching her room's bathroom. The toilet was just one step too far away, so she ended up emptying half her dinner into the sink instead.

There wasn't time to register the extra set of hands, one helping to hold her hair back, the other turning on the faucet, as she emptied the other half of dinner. It wasn't until after the wet wash cloth was being wiped across her cheek that she noticed the shower was also running and steaming up the room, the mirror already fogged. She turned around with a gentle pull on her belt. The gentle hands continued to undress her even as she leaned into the strong, bare shoulder before her.

"What happened?"

"The council wants Kakashi-sensei to marry Shimura Kato's lover," she answered, still leaning into him.

She felt him stiffen up a bit, nervous. "Where did you hear that?"

"From Kakashi-sensei himself," she sniffled. "Don't worry. He's given me clearance to learn about you now. You don't have to pretend not to know."

He wrapped his arms around her, planting a kiss on the top of her head, "I didn't know they wanted you to marry him, Sakura. I thought they just wanted to make a few examples of my father's former supporters."

"Did you support him?"

"Not since I was two... when he sent me to be a guinea pig for Orochimaru."

"Then I still trust you," she sighed, bringing her arms up around his waist. "Do you still want me to call you Yamato?"

"Yes," he agreed. "I don't like it much, but it's better than using the name my father gave me."

"Ok."

"Let's get you in the shower," he said, pulling away to finish pulling her shorts and underwear down. "You're a mess."

After the quiet shower he bundled her up in an extra towel and shut her out of the bathroom long enough to finish cleaning up the sink. He let her back in to brush her teeth while he called the front desk to request some crackers and ginger ale for Sakura. This was the third time in two weeks she had gotten sick to her stomach from stressing out. The other two times were due to one extra long day of travel and one incident where she and Ino ended up in another argument about Sasuke. This was the first time she wasn't able to keep it down. Thankfully, although they didn't have either in the hotel itself, one of the staff was willing to go get some from a corner store down the street.

Sakura spent so much time brushing her teeth that the hotel employee was back only seconds after she walked out of the bathroom wearing a clean pair of shorts and a tank top. Her frown was still in place as he pressed the stomach soothing food and drink into her hands.

"How did you know I needed these?" she asked, setting the crackers down to open the ginger ale.

"A friend of mine mentioned his wife using it when she was pregnant."

"Ah..." Sakura looked away from him again, taking another swallow of the drink before setting it down to break into the crackers. "Well it works for everyone. Thanks."

He was quiet for a moment, simply watching her eat as she sat on the edge of the bed. She didn't look at him, focusing instead on the salty crackers and fizzy drink. He wasn't sure what the minimum safe distance would be when he said his next words, so he just guessed one and a half of her arm's lengths would have to suffice.

"I think I love you, too."

Sakura wasn't at the top of her class for nothing. The glare she sent his way spoke volumes. "You were up there the whole time and said nothing?"

"We were being watched."

"Does it matter anymore? They already know we're together."

"Do you have to be difficult with me right now? I had to know if Kakashi was going to give you clearance or not. You took off the moment you said you loved me. I didn't have a chance!"

"I'm sorry," she looked back down at the crackers in her hand. "I wasn't sure it was you when we were up there. If it wasn't..."

"If it wasn't half your friends would be beating down our door right now," he smirked, moving over to sit beside her on the bed. "Besides, you need the rest. I know the constant travel has been hard on you."

"Mmm," she hummed leaning into him. "Good thing I have you to take care of me."

"For as long as I can," he reassured, putting his arm around her shoulders.

**A/N:** So, I'm sure you can see the writing style shift here. The last two sections are the first attempt at writing a YamaSaku fic I did over a year ago that never saw the light of day. The section before that was a transition piece I hacked at to blend the stories together. I want to see both stories come together as one, and this seems to be the way to do it. Hopefully, the continuity works. I'm thinking about having Sasuke tell her what her medical problem is, since she seems to be ignoring it... Honestly, it's because I have two different directions I want to take this.

Ideas? Thoughts? I do enjoy trying to put in any suggestions readers come up with.


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